Is breastfeeding obscene?

Discussion in 'Ethics, Morality, & Justice' started by ElectricFetus, Jun 23, 2009.

?

Is breastfeeding in public obscene?

  1. Yes

    5 vote(s)
    9.3%
  2. No

    49 vote(s)
    90.7%
  1. ElectricFetus Sanity going, going, gone Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    18,523
    Came upon a facebook group about this, though there reasons for forming was different then my moral dilemma with the issue (and I fully support them), rather I was thinking of in public if a women breastfeeding would you find that obscene? I'm not sure, I always wondered if a women can discharge milk in public way can't a man piss in public? Any help to set my mind on this?
     
  2. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  3. Bells Staff Member

    Messages:
    24,270
    Discharge milk in public?:bugeye:

    And I always wonder at why people see similarities between breastfeeding and urinating in public.

    Do you consider the two to be the same? Is it the same thing when a man exposes his genitals and urinates in public and when a woman breastfeeds her baby in public? Are there similarities to the acts themselves? Is urinating the same thing as breastfeeding?

    If you answer yes to those questions, then.. well.. :shrug:
     
  4. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  5. Liebling Doesn't Need to be Spoonfed. Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    1,532
    What are breasts for scientifically? The feeding of children.

    Not porn, not obscenity, not for adult males to suckle and fondle. Just fyi.

    This kind of modesty only stems from the sense of ownership that males still have over women. And some women's obedience and adherance to those ideals, causing some weird self-righteousness.

    Men walk around without their shirts and show their nipples, but feeding a child is obscene? Why? Because men like to oogle women's breasts due to some latent Mommy issues? It's not like the women are going around pinching their nipples and touching themselves... which would be obscene. Most women use discretion and cover up as much as possible when breast feeding. It's the most natural thing in the world, it's healthier for a child than any other form of milk (soy or cow or goat) and it allows the mother to pass on their strong immunities to the child, protecting it from illness. Why would you not want to provide your hungry child the best form of nourishment you can when they are hungry? Is it obscene to see a calf feeding off a mother cow? How about a goat? A dog?

    Vacating your bladder and providing loving nurishment to a child are two different things. Don't you think?
     
  6. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  7. ElectricFetus Sanity going, going, gone Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    18,523
    Intrinsically either action is different from the other, but both actions have set similarities, both involve the exposure of so called "obscene" regions of the body, both involve bodily discharge, just because we can pretty up one with babies and with asserting feminism does not mean its not obscene. Why is it most women would rather not show their breast in public but when they start lactating and have a baby they temporarily loose this sense of indecency.
     
  8. Bells Staff Member

    Messages:
    24,270
    :bugeye:

    Discharge?

    Again with the discharge.

    Okay then. How can I put this..

    Would you feed your child your urine? Is it a vital part of your child's nutrition? How exactly is you taking your dick out in public and pissing against a wall, car tyre, tree, etc, somehow similar to a woman feeding her child from her breast? Where are the similarities? What? The whole bodily fluid thing? So if you drool, it is akin to your taking a wizz in public? After all, it involves a bodily discharge, does it not? How about if someone cries? Tears? Bodily discharge. Is that indecent as well? Or is it just indecent because god forbid, there's a boob!

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!



    Are their sanitary issues involved with breastfeeding as there are with urinating in public? Think about it a bit. Consider both. Try really hard. You might just get it..

    Do you think women's breasts are indecent? Do you think the whole concept that a child breastfeeds indecent?
     
  9. ElectricFetus Sanity going, going, gone Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    18,523
    If this was true then breast would atrophy back to a flat state between children and only swell for lactation, yet female breast on humans are like a female chimp's swollen butt: they are a secondary sexual feature for attracting man, just because they serve other more rudimentary duties does not mean that is there only purpose.

    I'm all for women walking around showing their nipples

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!



    My dilemma is not that I find it obscene it that I don't find it obscene and I'm rather disheartened that it can get a pass while other things are still called "obscene".

    So is pissing, eating, deification, copulation, breathing, regulating heart rate, thermalhomostasis, in fact I think the latter ones are significantly more natural.

    no, not really, just because one is nice sounding like "providing loving nourishment to a child" and the other is "Vacating your bladder" doesn't mean they are different, they are both bodily function of equal criticality, both can be done in private. A squirrel and a rat are still rodents.
     
  10. ElectricFetus Sanity going, going, gone Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    18,523
    That exactly the issue we don't find crying offensive, why should we urinating!?!?

    They make special shirts and slings and chairs for breastfeeding I figure they can make a urinal on the side of a buildings, perhaps coin operated just outside of bars, they could make a killing!

    You have miss understood my argument and stance, I'm all for women breast feeding in public I would just like a urinal on the side of buildings
     
  11. sniffy Banned Banned

    Messages:
    2,945
    Should we, before answering this question, first ask 'Is ElectricFetus a tit'?

    The answer is out there.....
     
  12. nirakar ( i ^ i ) Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    3,383
    Some women also disapprove of breastfeeding in public.

    I think their is some objection to anything the rubs the fact that humans are animals in people's faces.

    What is the objection to topless fat people at the beach and does it in in any way connect to the breastfeeding in public issue?

    Maybe some women are still traumatized by the fear and shame of their own bodies that their parents put into them as the parents passed down the fear of sex and therefore think exposed female bodies are disgusting.

    Would we be OK with the partitions and toilets in public bathroom stalls being made of clear glass?

    Maybe guys are terrified that they will be caught getting hard if they see a tiny bit of exposed breast.

    It is not easy for me to understand the objection to breastfeeding in public because I think babies breastfeeding is cute.

    If some woman next to me on a train wanted to breastfeed her baby I might want to watch for a while but would not because I would be afraid of making her uncomfortable. As long as the baby does not spit up on me or my chair breastfeeding in public is good.
     
    Last edited: Jun 23, 2009
  13. Bells Staff Member

    Messages:
    24,270
    Because one can result in bad smells and stains and the other can not?

    Sure! Get them to provide more parents rooms where women can go and breastfeed in a comfortable lounge chair when out in public and you can get your urinal outside on the side of the buildings and outside of bars.

    Or do you want special pants and a penis sling for when you urinate?

    The special shirts are designed to allow a woman to breastfeed without exposing herself to all and sundry. Same with the slings. The special chairs we buy for home.

    But as I said, if there can be more parent's rooms that have comfortable and clean areas for breastfeeding mothers (and as a woman who did breastfeed, I can assure you, what there is now next to the public toilets in some shopping centres, is not only inadequate, they are also smelly and unclean half the time) with nice comfortable chairs, then yeah, if you want to pee outside on the side of buildings in all weather conditions, knock yourself out.

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!



    Because walking inside and peeing in a toilet is just that hard..

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!



    I don't get it. Breastfeeding women would clamour for proper parent's rooms with proper facilities where they can sit in comfort and feed their child when out in public.. nice quiet rooms away from the general public.. and you're peeved because you can't pee outside while women are forced to breastfeed their children outside because of a lack of facilities.. when there are proper facilities for urination anyway..

    /Boggles..
     
  14. ElectricFetus Sanity going, going, gone Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    18,523
    Spill milk or cream on your shirt and say that again.

    Well the room does not need to be enclosed for privacy but yes yes I'm glade we agree.

    Ooooooh that would be nice.

    I relies the shirts are designed to minimize exposure but so are screens that jut out of the side of urinals.

    When your drunk enough it does not matter were you pee, your to inebriated to notices. Now why can't a women breast feed on a public bench in a nice park or so, we install benches, why not a urinal, heck why not a full toilet!

    because walking into an enclose room in private and breastfeeding is just that hard...

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!



    Well we could easily make all those facilities and provide privacy at the same time, thus no public obscenity, but then women would not have reason nor be allow to feed their baby "anywhere", just like we all can't just take a piss anywhere, but have to use unclosed restrooms.
     
  15. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    72,825
    If I post a picture of a woman breast feeding, will it be considered graphic?
     
  16. wsionynw Master Queef Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    1,309
    I've actually sat next to a woman breast feeding her baby and I didn't notice (just thought she was hugging her baby) until she put the baby back in the pushchair and did her shirt buttons up.
    Women don't have to take their tops off and shake their boobs about to breast feed!

    Let them breast feed wherever they like I say.
     
  17. PsychoTropicPuppy Bittersweet life? Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    1,538
    Depends on what you deem as obscene. I don't consider it obscene unless her breast...would be really really ugly covered with pimples and...or pox-like things.
     
  18. Cellar_Door Whose Worth's unknown Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    1,310
    I would be genuinely interested to know: how do Islamic countries feel about breastfeeding in public? I know that the Koran recommends breastfeeding in itself, but if women are commanded to cover themselves up, how exactly could they justify exposing their breasts?
     
  19. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    72,825
    There is no set reply, local customs usually dictate public breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding is more common in rural, uneducated and poorer communities. Women who work and women in cities are less likely to exclusively breastfeed.

    Breast exposure is also dictated by local tradition. In Somalia and Ethiopia, you're more likely to see women with their breasts out feeding the kids. In Arab countries the veil cover provides adequate shield and in many places, they have "family rooms" for privacy.
     
  20. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    25,817
    I never breast fed my kids in public. I may have been feeding them, but it was still my boob.
     
  21. joepistole Deacon Blues Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    22,910
    As a male and supporter of breasts, I see nothing wrong with women breast feeding in public. In fact, I think it is great that women breast feed. It is good for the child and I admire women for doing the task...for the sake of their children...much better than formula.

    I think we as a society need to do all we can to support women especially when they breast feed their children. There is something very neat about caring for children especially breast feeding. There is nothing obsene with breat feeding children in public. So long as it is age appropriate. There is an age when the child should be weened.
     
  22. CutsieMarie89 Zen Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    3,485
    What?
     
  23. shorty_37 Go! Canada Go! Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    12,140
    I'm a prude I guess. I couldn't just whip out a boob and breastfeed in public.
    I don't have a problem if women are comfortable with doing it, I wasn't.
     

Share This Page